Midsummer's Festival
by A Taste for Tragedy
Summary: Meltokio is celebrating Festival, a holiday which is quite famous. And where are our heroes? Why, celebrating of course! But little did they know that such a romantic night really would bring love for them... Pairings: ZXC, LXS, GXP, KRAXRAIXREG
1. Chosen for Each Other

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. Seriously. **

**ABOUT FESTIVAL... **Festival is mentioned in the game but has never really been explained, so I took it into my own hands. My Festival takes place during the summertime; it is two days long and only Meltokio celebrates it. The first day is what I like to call a 'Preparation day', or a day when nothing really exciting happens. First thing in the morning is a church service lasting for several hours. There's food and religious plays and a dedication to Martel. Afterwards there is a parade in which all the nobles and King march from Meltokio to the Grand Bridge and back. (Rolls eyes) Don't ask.

The second day is when the following 4-5 chapters take place. It is called Costume Night and takes place on Midsummer's Night, which is the shortest night of the year. It's sort of like Halloween-- the day proceeds like it normally does, but at night everyone gets in costume and goes around. Only there's no ringing doorbells and getting candy; there's celebrations all over the town.

Costume night has a theme and everyone must dress accordingly to it. For example, if the theme of the current Festival was an underwater theme, you could wear an ugly five-legged octopus costume that would put real octopi to shame. You could wear a clownfish costume, no matter how un-clown fishy it appeared. But you could not wear a marmoset costume, no matter how attractive and furry your marmoset suit was. The year of the victory against Mithos was crowned the year of the Angels, therefore making the Festival angel-themed. It was named the year of Angels partly because the Chosens had helped saved the world (which I thought was completely unfair, since the others weren't Chosens; Lloyd and Kratos were the only other angels. But Lloyd had gotten his wings at the end of the journey, which in my opinion meant that he was human when he saved the world), and partly to remember Mithos the Hero.

The journey to save the world took eight months; it was completed several weeks before Festival. Our heroes and heroines decided to celebrate the holiday, because the day after Costume night they will all go their separate ways.

**This story will feature the following pairings: ZelosxColette, LxS, Gesea, and a sort-of-not-really love triangle between Raine, Regal, and Kratos. In that order. All of these chapters take place during Festival. I haven't seen any other stories with a Festival plotline, so I'll know if you steal. **

* * *

_"We are afraid to care too much, for fear that the other person does not care at all."- Eleanor Roosevelt _

__

Chosen for Each Other, Part One of Midsummer's Festival.

"COLETTE. Colette? Where are you going? It's only twenty minutes past ten o'clock, you can't possibly be leaving, it's _Festival_..."

"Please don't worry Sheena. I'm just going out to the palace gardens, it's so hot in this ballroom." I was going out to meet Fate, although I did not know it.

"Okay. Well, I'm going to the Coliseum with Lloyd..." Sheena looked so angelic that night, in her creamy white wings and her white white dress. Her eyes and hair, in comparison, were as dark as ever. A unique combination. She was exotic, something I wanted to be.

"I'll find you if I need you." A small smile was exchanged between us and I walked through the doors to the balcony, greeting a few people before walking down the steps and into the gardens.

The eight of us-- Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, Presea, Regal, Raine, Zelos and I-- never traveled without each other during our two week stay in Meltokio. The reason for this was because the day after Festival, we would all go our separate ways. And the truth was none of us could bear losing each other, which seemed very likely to happen. There was a fear that we would lose contact, that we would grow distant with one another .I'd go to Iselia; Presea and Regal would go to Altamira and use the Lezareno Company's resources to rebuild the cities that had been destroyed around the world; Sheena was going to Mizuho; Zelos would stay in Meltokio; Lloyd, Genis and Raine would go around the world to collect Exspheres and make things better for half-elves.

Seven of us had stayed in the palace the entire week-- Zelos preferred his mansion-- but on the last night (Costume Night) we'd sleep in the hotel. The reason for this was simple: it wasn't safe on Costume Night to sleep in the palace, no matter how many magical charms locked your doors. Champagne can make a man blind and reckless; ale can make a man stupid and horny.

Costume Night was by far the most anticipated night. And how exciting it was! Everyone in pretty costumes, some with paint on their faces, all with wings on their backs. But Zelos and I were the only ones with _real_ wings; Lloyd wanted to blend in with the crowd, so he wore fake blue ones. For some reason, out of the eight people that saved the world, Zelos and I were recognized the most. People tried to pretend that they don't know who we really were, although our wings were so different-looking than everyone else's. But those were the people who lived in the palace; the regular people would begin cheering whenever they saw us.

And enough with the explanations. _Are you still reading this?_ I have a tale to tell, and it all starts with Costume Night...

At nine o'clock our party promptly arrived at the palace for a party that the King was hosting. The sun had just begun to set and even Raine was excited. The King had invited all of us as the guests of honor; it would have been rude to refuse. Besides, we thought, surely it would be fun!

The party first started off with a dinner filled with boring speeches and fancy food. This, surprisingly, took an hour. I had to poke Lloyd twice because he almost fell asleep. Zelos, on my other side, was quietly imitating the King. Sheena's face turned so red from stifling her laughter that she had to duck under the table, pretending to have lost her earrings. Genis and Presea were playing a game of Go Fish under the table with some cards Presea had brought in her purse. Raine and Regal, however, were alert, holding on to every word. But enough of that! Finally we went to the ballroom to dance. I loved to dance; I thought the evening would finally lighten up. But the truth was the dances were too stuffy for my taste. And it was obvious that I hated it. I could hear courtiers whispering as Zelos and I danced: _Oh look at those Chosens!_ _And look at the Golden One, the Sacrificing One. She looks like she wants to run to the sweetly scented woods of her hometown, go stand by the sea and gaze at the far away Martel Temple and listen to the children speak their own language. Look at her dance with Zelos! How pretty. But why is she stepping out the door, into the backyard gardens? It's only twenty minutes past ten o'clock, is she tired already_? But they don't know that I despise public appearances? I can't stand them.

I went to the palace gardens because it was too hot in the ballroom. Besides, I couldn't take it anymore. Zelos talking to that concubine with that greedy look on his face. _The night is so dark, the night is so young! _

Oh, those tulips! Their scent was thick in the air, mingling with the scents of lilies, roses, jasmine, sage, and daffodils... I remember seeing the maze and thinking that nobody would bother me there…

Right. Left. I kept going through the maze, wanting to reach a place of privacy. Left around the rose bushes. A fountain! A seductive fountain, with a golden statue of two swans with their foreheads pressed against each other, their necks arched into a heart's shape. But I was not impressed; swans were beautiful, but also vain like the Princess.

Some privacy. I couldn't hear the music anymore. Too stuffy, that music. You had to clap your hands when everyone else did. _Why should I?_ I thought_. Why should I make everyone happy, do what they think is right? I'll dance my own way; dance the way I do in Iselia. Laugh and spin round round round until the music stops, but the music in my head is singing its' own pretty song still, maybe in a different language. 'Kiss me, miss me darling... Tomorrow I'll be gone.' _How true that song was, I heard a lute player sing it the first day of Festival. I wonder if he could sense that I wanted Zelos? I wondered why Zelos was avoiding me. He said earlier that he would miss me; didn't he want to spend time with me?

I sat on the fountain's edge and dabbled my fingers in the water. Cold granite, chilly water. I didn't mind. I hadn't been minding a lot of things lately. I looked in the water, saw my reflection. I remembered what had happened earlier that day...

* * *

"Your hair is so pretty, so golden! Let us do this to it. You will be a hit!" The royal designers kept commenting. No, don't cut that dress any lower! _I_ have nothing to show. The designers chattered quietly for a while, occasionally throwing inquisitive glances at Sheena and I; finally they chose ponytails for the both of us. Sheena didn't mind, as the hairstyle closely resembled the one she put her hair in everyday. 

_"Oh my go..."_ Lloyd and Zelos had both said that when they saw us. Lloyd's eyes on Sheena, Zelos' eyes on me.

Sheena had diamonds in her jet-black ponytail; her dress was so white and so pure that snow would look black. She wore comfortable, ladylike silver slippers with diamonds sewn into a flower pattern and the sleeves of the dress were off the shoulder. Her dress felt like silk; it seemed to show the right amount of cleavage by not showing any at all, something Sheena greatly appreciated. Her wings were silky like her dress and just as white. It was a rare sight, seeing her in such feminine attire.

And I? A mint green, almost metallic looking dress; it was pure and simple, just the way I wanted it, without all the hustle and bustle of the noble ladies' dresses. It was slim and sleek and easy to move in, like Sheena's dress, but my dress had thick shoulder straps. I wore a white ribbon in my hair and a white lacy choker around my neck. I wore white high heels, since I was only five feet and five inches tall.

I saw Zelos pinch Sheena's behind as we left. He turned to face me after that and I just shook my head.

"Zelos, be nice. Today is a very special day. Could you please act...um... decent just for once? Please." I reminded him patiently as Lloyd held Sheena back. Good thing he did. Sheena would have ripped Zelos' eyes out. "And please don't give me that puppy-eyed look, you know I..." _You know I melt when you do that._

Zelos looked sad as Lloyd gently pulled Sheena out of the house. I couldn't tell if Zelos was acting or not. "Are you saying I'm not a decent man, Colette?"

"No! No. I..." I sighed. "I'm sorry. I just want everyone to be happy. I mean, it's our last day together… tomorrow everyone will go home…" My hands were folded, prayer-like.

Zelos tilted his head and smiled at me. "Oh my Colette. I was only teasing you. Come along, the King is waiting—"

* * *

"Colette?" 

I stood and whipped around. There was Zelos, his eyebrows raised and his head tilted.

"Hello, Zelos. What are you doing out here?" I asked.

"I got bored inside. I saw you leaving and thought I would come and keep you company." He spoke with a cocky smile.

"That's very kind of you, Zelos. But what about the Princess? I thought you would spend the evening with her."

Zelos tilted his head. "Now why would I do that?"

"You two have always seemed to be attracted to each other. I thought you would eventually..." My face was a slight pink color.

"Such romantic thoughts, Colette! No, Princess Hilda is nothing compared to you, my hunny." Zelos chuckled.

A smile, illuminated by the light of our wings. "I've been a romantic for quite some time Zelos, I guess I just haven't shown it much. I've been this way since I was eight. Since Lloyd..." I trailed off.

"Well you're very good at disguising it. I never would have thought of you as a romantic," said Zelos as he sat on the granite edge of the fountain and gestured for me to join him. All I did was nod, sit, and smile at the starry sky. The moon was fat and might as well have been pregnant with Eros' coquetry that night, with the roses thick in scent and everything just right. It was a lover's night; it was a seductive night. Who could resist?

"There are different types of romance, y'know?" Zelos murmured. "It's so difficult to distinguish them. But I, Zelos, Master of Love--" we both laughed at that. "--Have a theory."

A flicker of interest sparked as two pairs of eyes met, looked away, and traveled back to each other again.

"I..." What to say? My soul wanted to state how she felt; but my soul was so very much older than my mouth and my mind. How does the soul admit that she almost...?

His eyes suddenly seemed like two bright sapphires, basked in the glow of his golden wings. "Ah, Colette. I always forget how young you are. Never mind."

"Zelos, I think I can understand. Just tell me."

"Colette, I haven't told anybody my theory. I'd feel as if I'm corrupting you somehow." His face turned away. The distance between our bodies, just then, felt more than just a foot. It felt as if we were battlefields away from each other.

But then I was angry. I wasn't a child anymore! "Zelos! Stop treating me like a child! Please. We're always so serious with each other. And honest." I exploded. Why was I like this? So unusually bold?

Zelos' eyebrows shot up. "I've never heard you yell before," he said quite calmly. "I've lied to you before, I've betrayed you. Can you really trust me? You make me think, I'll give you that."

"I wasn't yelling." I said crossly, standing up, taking a step forward. My temper usually never got the best of me; but I wasn't a child anymore! I was a young woman, with a growing body and a soul that saw everything.

Zelos grabbed my arm. "D'you really want to leave me, my angelic hunny?" For effect he put on a pleading pout.

I sighed. "I'll only stay if you stop treating me like a child, and tell me about your 'corruptive' theory of romance." My body turned to face him. "And I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled."

Zelos smiled. "It's okay. I should apologize for treating you like a child. You're far from that." His hand still on my arm.

And for a moment we just stood there, our eyes holding each other. Was it a moment? Was it really a moment? It felt like a lifetime-- just taking in everything. His body so close I could feel the heat radiating from him; the moonlight was so unnaturally bright I could see his pale eyelashes, the dark blue of his eyes, the very curve of his cheek. I wanted to kiss him. Right then and there. An impulse, an instinct. But I was afraid; I wasn't sure as to how I felt about him.

But then he breathed, "My theory. Yes." And the tension was broken; the heat was lost in the summer air as the thread that held us in position broke and Zelos took a step back. My soul was soaring, higher and higher until she could touch the stars. And my body was sitting down with Zelos again; my hand went to the water and traced artful designs on the surface. Zelos and I both watched my hand for a moment in silence, and then he began.

"There are three types of romance that I have encountered: lust, crushes, and family love. Lust is--"

"--what you have for Sheena--"

"-- the burning desire to touch someone. Love for their body and only that." Zelos continued, ignoring my comment. "You want their kiss, you want to hold them. To have them in a bodily sense, to smell their scent..." I began to think then. Was I had for Zelos-- was it lust? "…Colette, have you felt lust before?"

I jumped a bit in surprise, turning red. I had been caught off-guard. "Y-yes." The words came out before I could think.

"Oh? To whom was that lust directed?"

"I'd rather not say..." my face was most likely redder than a cherry. "Sorry."

"Oh well, just to let you know, lust usually ends in disaster. The feelings fade." I blocked out his voice again as I thought. I wanted to kiss him, hold him. But was that purely it? No. I loved the way he was so serious with me. He didn't treat me the way he treated Sheena or Raine. Zelos and I used to talk about the goddess Martel, what it was like to be Chosens, our fears and so many other things. With a pang of relief I realized it wasn't lust. I loved him for him.

"And then there are crushes. You talk to the person, yes, and maybe you're friends. But true, honest-to-goodness, life-lasting love? No. It's a schoolgirl sort of thing. But your mind is so blinded by your heart that you believe that it is love. Maybe 'crush' isn't the right word for it... Infatuation! Yes, that's what it should be called. It's a fascination, maybe a little bit of an obsession. Young love, puppy love, child's love. They're always on your mind and you're continuously plotting new ways to impress them. But eventually you'll get over them and move on." He took a pause here to catch his breath and I spoke.

"Sounds like what Lloyd and I had." I commented breezily.

"_Had_?" Zelos put a hand into the water immediately and irritably flicked some water around. The other hand went to his loose hair and through the silky locks, adjusting the midnight blue headband that went so perfectly well with his black jacket, pants, and boots; his shirt was a dark blue identical in color to the headband.

"Yes, _had_. I used to be 'infatuated' with him; I even thought that he was my Prince Charming. But I guess I assumed my love for him, as my best friend, was actually true love. But now I know that he's for Sheena."

"And you're okay with losing him to her? Personally, I think they're beautiful together; if only they'd get over their shyness and let their feelings loose." Said Zelos with a slight smile.

"Oh yes, they belong together. They're so alike, and so comfortable together. Sheena's not afraid to tell him how she feels-- not necessarily in the romantic sense, but as in she can tell him when she is worried or afraid-- have you noticed that? But I... I'm too secretive. I was willing to sacrifice myself but Lloyd didn't want to sacrifice anyone. I'm a liar, I'm always too afraid to burden him with my troubles." I couldn't look at him.

"You're not a liar. You just have layers of emotions, like a cake." We both laughed and I told him to continue on with his theory. I thought I saw Zelos trace a heart-like shape on the surface of the fountain's water. But the human mind can always blind you with hopes and dreams; I could have just imagined it.

"Family love. I've only felt such a love for Seles. My parents were too self-centered to love. My mother's last words to me were that I should never have been born. I've told you about the day she died, Colette. But I have seen perfect examples of family love. For example, one day I saw this peasant family... they were so poor and their home was small, but their faces shone with happiness. When I asked the mother why they were so happy in such a terrible state-- they were dirty and had tattered clothes-- she told me that the two sons of the family had returned from school in Sybak for the holidays. She had given them all her money, to use on school things. Her young daughter was simply glad that her brothers were alive, because there had been a snowstorm. The father had died the previous year; he got caught in a blizzard and was never seen again. Ever since then…"

"…All they've had is each other." I said, finishing his sentence.

Zelos nodded. "Exactly. They live for each other, would sacrifice anything as long as they are kept together." His face grew dreamy. "I wish my family was like that. Together through thick and thin."

"A Chosen's life is a hard one. I had no friends besides Lloyd and Genis; you had an awful family."

Zelos nodded and withdrew his hand from the water silently; a moment later I did the same. People were gathering on the palace balcony; but surely they couldn't see us? The palace's mazes were thick and tall, but the balcony was high above the ground. Zelos moved closer, his arm pressing against mine, as if he wanted to protect me. From what, I didn't know.

A child-sized silhouette stood at the very edge of the balcony-- a girl, I figured, because it appeared that she was wearing a dress-- pointed to the sky. "Look, Genis. Shooting stars, a whole storm of them! I've never seen them before, aren't they beautiful?" I knew that voice!

Zelos and I exchanged awestruck glances. Was that Presea? We had never heard or seen her in such an excited state. But it was surely she; nobody else had those pigtails.

"Wow! I hope Raine's watching the sky, she loves shooting stars!" A boy's shadowy figure hovered next to Presea, and his face was tilted up to the sky. The moonlight illuminated his mass of silvery hair-- it was Genis.

The palace clock began chiming as I looked up at the sky. Eleven chimes-- an hour until midnight. At exactly twelve o'clock, fireworks would be launched. I was excited because I had only seen fireworks once before, when I was five. I wanted to see them again.

But even the shooting stars couldn't distract me from the sudden gusts of wind that came from time to time. They were surprisingly cold for such a hot midsummer's night. I found myself rubbing my arms ferociously, and yet goose bumps still appeared.

Zelos looked over at me and chuckled. "Cold? Don't worry, my innocent sweetheart, I'll keep you warm." He smiled and wrapped his arm around me, pulling me close. I felt my cheeks turn pink, but I was glad for his warmth.

But Zelos confused me. Whenever he touched me-- from the slightest brush of a shoulder to the way his arm wrapped around me-- my skin felt as if they were on fire. And yet I couldn't tell if he felt the way I did. Was he attracted to me? He didn't touch me the way he touched Sheena, didn't try to embarrass me about my body. He was serious with me sometimes, with the occasional sweet-talk that he always used thrown in. But he trusted me; why else was I the only person to which he had talked to about his theory?

"You know, Zelos," I murmured softly, not wanting to ruin the magical effect of the green, red, and yellow shooting stars that streaked across the sky. "You never mentioned true love."

Zelos was silent for a moment and his body seemed to stiffen. I felt his shoulder twitch. "Tell me what you think true love is, my dear."

"What Kratos and Anna had. A love so strong and deep and true that nothing else matters." I replied.

"Ah, I see. But I've never truly encountered it. At least not in this hellhole called Meltokio." he said this bitterly, almost angrily.

I felt shocked. "But Zelos, Meltokio is your _home_."

"No. No, it's not."

"But you've lived here for the majority of your lifetime, Zelos." I couldn't comprehend. I had lived and grown up in Iselia; I loved it with all my heart. The definition of 'home' in my mind was a place where you lived.

"So? That doesn't make it a home. A home is a place where you really feel as if you belong. You can be yourself there. All my life, everyone liked me because I was the Chosen, instead of liking me for being Zelos. A home is a place where a happy family lives. My family wasn't happy, my childhood wasn't happy, even my adulthood in Meltokio wasn't happy. I believe that the only joyous time of my life was when I was on the quest to help you lot save the world, and even that's over." Zelos rambled. "One day, I'm going to go around the world and find a place I can call home."

I sat there silently, taking it all in before I replied. "I hope your journey goes well, Zelos. I hope you find home."

Zelos smiled. "You're so sweet. Come on angel." he said as he stood up. "It is late. I'll walk you to the hotel." he held out his arm. I hooked my elbow around his, and off we went.

* * *

"There are no rooms left, Miss Colette." 

"But I made a reservation!" I repeated to the stick-thin, auburn-haired woman behind the counter.

"Yes, but a man offered such a large amount of money that we couldn't refuse. He asked for the finest room and so we gave him it, which happened to be yours. I'm sorry, but all the rooms are taken." she paused and shook her head. "I have other people to attend to. Goodbye."

I bit my lip and turned away, pushing my way through the crowd of people to the doors. I wandered out into the street and heard the church bells chime along with the palace clock-- midnight. I stood in the middle of the empty road, watching the sky as fireworks flew up-- cerulean, emerald, crimson, ochre. The bright colors and loud noise calmed my slightly, although I hadn't the slightest idea as to where I would go.

"Colette." I looked to the right and saw Zelos, his face illuminated by the fireworks and his golden wings. In his hand was a bottle of rum.

"Oh, Zelos! I thought you had gone home." I walked over to him.

He raised the bottle and shook it slightly. "I went to a shop to buy this. I was planning to drink myself to sleep. Why aren't you in the hotel, sweeting?"

I explained my situation, my hands shaking slightly. When I was done, Zelos just smiled brightly and said, "Don't worry. You can stay at my home. I have several guestrooms, which are in the parts of the house that you haven't seen yet."

My face brightened. That idea simply had not occurred to me. Zelos simply chuckled when I thanked him. "No need to thank me," he said as he put his hand on my elbow and began walking. "Let's get going." And with another exchange on smiles, we were on our way. It felt so comforting when we had finally reached our destination. With Zelos I felt as if I were on the edge of a bridge, looking down into mysterious waters below. Who knew what we would say next? He made me feel alive and open, like I could actually speak my mind. Perhaps I even felt a bit reckless at times with him. Safe, and yet searching for adventure.

As soon as we were inside of the home, we bolted the doors for security. With a wave of his hand, Zelos lit some strange devices with illuminated the rooms. Raine had explained to me countless times about how these lamps operated, but I still couldn't understand. I went upstairs instantly to wash my face and hair in the washroom. Zelos sent his butler to retrieve my bags from the hotel, and told a maid to prepare a room for me. When I came back downstairs, Zelos was in his sleeping clothes-- silky black shirt and pants-- and Sebastian had taken my bags to the room the maid prepared. Zelos explained to me that he had given the maid and the butler permission to go back to their homes. We were completely alone.

"I can't thank you enough Zelos." I managed to say. His kindness had been so unexpected and overwhelming, and yet so spur-of-the-moment. Zelos just laughed and told me to follow him to my room.

My room, it turned out, was right next to his. Zelos didn't explain why; I didn't ask. But the room was still beautiful, for it had a theme of silver, black and white. Silver gossamer curtains covered the windows. All the furniture was made of white oak, including the large, almost skeletal harp in the corner. The covers on the king-sized bed were black and so were the candles that stood on the tiny silver dresser by the bed. My suitcases were dutifully placed by the white wooden bookshelf. I turned and thanked Zelos; it truly was a pretty room.

He just inclined his head and said, "Try to get some sleep. We all must meet at the front gates of Meltokio at noon tomorrow." With another nod he walked out the room, slowly shutting the door behind him.

I changed into my white nightgown and slid into the soft bed. I felt empty inside as I heard Zelos move quietly and purposefully in the room beside mine. Finally all the rustling stopped, but I still could not sleep. Memories, wishes, thoughts... The palace clock chimed once... more thoughts and wishes. I could not sleep, so I got out of bed again. I walked barefoot to the door, trying to make as little noise as possible, and slipped out of the room. Zelos' house appeared both intriguing and intimidating lit only by the gentle moonlight. I brought out my wings and they cast a soft comforting glow about me as I padded out of the hallway and towards the front of the house. Something in my mind clicked as I saw a few playing cards on the table: _We're breaking apart tomorrow. This is it. No more journeying._ And I began to cry softly. I sat down on the bottom step of the stairs. I didn't want to leave my friends, the only true friends I had ever known!

"Colette?" I immediately stood up. It was Zelos, staring at my silently in his black pajamas and golden wings.

"Zelos." I sniffled. "I didn't wake you up, did I?"

He shook his head gently and walked over to me. "Colette, why are you crying at such a late hour?" Only a foot away. Come closer, my love, come closer.

The dam burst and more tears made their way down my face. "T-tomorrow we're l-leaving each other. What if I... what if I don't see you a-again?" I whispered.

"Oh Colette, come here." Zelos stepped closer. His hands cupped my face and his lips came crashing down on mine, a sweet and passionate kiss. A few moments later he tried to pull away but I instinctively pulled him back to me. His hands fell off my face and went to my hips, pulling me close so that our bodies were pressed against each other. I stood on tiptoe-- I had grown a few inches, but he was still about four inches taller than me.

"Come with me to find home." he breathed. "Please. Let's keep journeying. I can't do it without you."

"But where would we go?" I pulled away to scrutinize his face.

"All over the world. Every town and every city. I need you to be with me, Colette. You make me whole, you make me think. Before I used to be so reckless but... you're the only one who really gets me. I don't pretend-- I don't _want_ to pretend with you. I'll admit, when we first started out with this journey I had a crush on Sheena, but you... I want you now. I've wanted you for the past two months or so."

I smiled. "I've wanted you too. I don't know how long... but I feel the same way about you." His face brightened but I continued on. "But I will have to go back home first and tell my father, make sure it's alright with him. Then I'll come back here and we can set out."

"You should ask Sheena for help, maybe she can use one of the summon spirits to send the message to your dad. She has known for quite a while now about the way I feel for you." His eyes were so unusually bright and hopeful.

I just kissed him again. How could I keep away? His lips were soft; but then again they weren't soft at all. His kiss was warm one moment, but the next second I would shiver as if I were in Flanoir again.

"We need to sleep." I managed to say between kisses. Who knew how long we had been kissing? Five minutes? An hour?

"Let me sleep with you." he said recklessly, his gaze unfocused. His eyes refocused as he took in the expression on my face. "Oh, no sex or anything. I just want to hold you in my arms. I can't stay away, not after this." I just laughed and nodded, pulling him back towards the hallway.

I slept well that night, with my sore lips and strong arms around me. But don't you know?

Some things don't need explaining; some things just can't be explained. Our love was both of them.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Well, in case you haven't guess, after this story will be a story of Zelos and Colette's search for home. Next up are Lloyd and Sheena! Read and Review, guys, but make sure to use constructive criticism. As for my loyal fans, here is my explanation for my long hiatus: I have been inspiration-dry for more than a year now. However, I am working on a story with my friend Anna. Her username is Silence-Angel.**


	2. Masquerade

**Disclaimer: I do not own ToS, yet again. **

_Colette the Klutz: Well, thanks for the comment anyway. I'll make sure the Gesea chapter is extra good, just for you! XD_

_HolyknightSteve: Thank you so much for accepting me into your c2! It means so much to me. And getting a review from you is such an honor since your stories are like, the best._

_Pyro45-- I hope you like this one!_

_One-Peice-and-Naruto-Fan-- I'm glad you appreciated this; most of the time I write tragedies, so it's good to know that my happy stories are also appreciated!_

_"Indeed actions are judged by intentions." -- Prophet Muhammad._

_Masquerade, Part Two of Midsummer's Festival._

* * *

PAITENCE is said to be a virtue; however, there are certain times in life when it would be best to cast patience aside. In those rare situations, it would be best to evacuate all innocent bystanders as soon as possible. For Sheena, this was one of those times. But what in the world could kill Sheena's patience, which had been great in number since Mithos' death? Two words: Zelos's groupies. Sheena wasn't sure what she liked better: the way the girls treated her before, or the way they treated her after her life-changing journey. Before, they acted as if she were a hideous, rotting plant: highly unfashionable, disgusting, socially unacceptable, and meant to be avoided at all costs. But now...

Well, to put it simply, they revered her. Sheena would be remembered for all time; the groupies would not. Sheena was constantly under the girls' watchful eyes, and everything about her, from the cut of her hair to the style of her clothing was observed. Sheena wasn't sure why their attitude had changed, but she had a feeling that it had to do with Zelos. For each of the very few times Sheena danced with Zelos, she could absolutely feel the jealousy radiating from his groupies. Because of that, she preferred to have Lloyd as a dance partner, for not only did she feel safe and unwatched with him, but he was also quite graceful on his feet.

But oh no. That was not it. That was purely and simply not it. Those things didn't completely and totally summarize the way she felt about Lloyd. In fact, it was barely the icing on the cake...

Sheena couldn't help but smile as she looked around the ballroom from her seat at the guests-of-honor table. Lloyd had volunteered to get her punch (he was being quite the gentleman that night), and her friends were dancing. She felt content as she watched Colette and Zelos move along with the music, Colette tripping occasionally. There was, however, a certain passion in the way they moved-- desire, shoved and stifled into a box much too small, threatening to explode at any moment. It was in the way her hand would slip into his during the waltz; it was in the way his body would lightly bang against hers when she rushed back into his arms after twirling with another man in the Anwar, a dance the King had created.

Sheena's eyes traveled over to Genis and Presea. They were at the other side of the room, playing cards again. B/S seemed to be a particular favorite of Presea's. She would actually get into a semi-excited state when she played, and that was quite a breakthrough, for she didn't show positive emotion very often. She even smiled at Genis from time to time. Regal and Raine, however, were nowhere to be seen.

"Sheena." Lloyd's voice brought her back from her thoughts as he sat down next to her. He handed her a cup of punch. He looked absolutely dashing in his white Nobleman's costume. "I heard from some of the nobles that there's a party going on at the Coliseum. It's supposed to be more fun than this, because the nobles called it a bunch of uncivilized riffraff." he grinned. "Supposedly everyone who goes receives a mask, and at the first stroke of midnight everyone takes off their masks. There's dancing, food, fighting tournaments... What do you say?"

Sheena pondered her options as she took a sip of punch. "I'm definitely in," Sheena said as she took note of all the rich old people around her, complete with Zelos's groupies. "But I'll need to tell Colette, so she won't worry or anything. We had originally planned to go back to the hotel together, for safety reasons." Lloyd nodded and told her that he'd be waiting where he was.

It took Sheena a while to find Colette, because of Zelos' groupies. They kept asking her where Zelos had gone to, and for once in her life Sheena could honestly say she had no clue. Oh, there was Colette, standing by the balcony doors. Her face was cool and collected, but Sheena had the feeling that something was troubling Colette. As Sheena walked over, it seemed that Colette came out of a trance; Colette turned to open the door.

"Colette. Colette?" Sheena called out, walking faster. Colette turned back around and smiled when she realized it was Sheena. "Where are you going? It's only twenty minutes past ten o'clock, you can't possibly be leaving, it's Festival..."

"Please don't worry Sheena. I'm just going out to the palace gardens, it's so hot in this ballroom."

"Okay. Well, I'm going to the Coliseum with Lloyd..."

"I'll find you if I need you." With another smile, Colette slipped through the doors and out of sight.

Sheena walked back to Lloyd; they were about to leave when someone clapped their hand on Sheena's shoulder. It was Zelos, looking slightly alarmed. He managed to ask, "Where are you going and can I come with you?"

Lloyd and Sheena just stared at him. Behind him Sheena saw a girl with dim gray eyes and red hair. She was perhaps a hundred meters behind Zelos, and looking wildly around for something-- or someone. And then it clicked. With an easy smile, Sheena said, "Colette is outside in the gardens. Why don't you go to her?"

Zelos grinned at her and slithered away, but Lloyd looked slightly troubled. "Why is he running away from Rosmilda?" he asked, referring to the redheaded girl. "I thought she was one of his lovers." And when Sheena just shrugged, he just nodded and led her outside, heading towards the Coliseum.

* * *

Sheena had heard fearful stories about girls who got lost on Festival, and because of this she gripped Lloyd's hand even more tightly as they neared the small crowd around the Coliseum. Sheena hoped that this was a good idea. When they entered, they were separated and led to two different rooms. This only made Sheena more nervous as she was given a black mask that covered around her eyed and covered her nose, but didn't cover the rest of her face. A woman cast a spell over her, turning her dress a dark purple color. When Sheena cast the woman a confused look, the lady explained that there would be an unmasking at midnight and at that time all the spells would wear off. With that, the woman gently pushed Sheena through the doors and into the arena. It was crowded there, and lit by round balls of fire that floated around in the air. Fast-paced music was loud enough to be heard over all the voices and in the very center of the place was a cluster of people dancing. There were fighting contests going on in each corner of the rectangular arena, and Sheena could spot the men's entrance at the other side of the Coliseum. In the bleachers were several food and prize stands.

Sheena searched the arena with her eyes. No Lloyd. Of course she wouldn't be able to find him, he most likely had a spell put over his appearance too! Sheena decided to participate in the fighting contest nearby. There were signs in front of each station, stating the level of each competition: beginner, intermediate, advanced and master. Sheena decided to join the master competition; after all, hadn't she fought tons of enemies, one of which happened to be the great Mithos?

The man at the desk smirked when she told him she wanted to enter. "Why don't ye try the beginner's tournament, little lady? I'm sure yer nails won't get too messed up there."

Sheena rolled her eyes. "Just give me a weapon and I'll show you what I'm made of." When the man handed her a rusty spear, she glared. "I'll take the cards, thank you." Sheena had forgotten her cards in her hotel room. But she wasn't worried; these cards weren't as powerful as the ones she currently favored, but she could manage.

As Sheena stepped into the ring the man had led her to, she looked around her, taking note of everything. There were three other rings; their circumferences were at least twenty feet each. Sheena was contestant number seven and was fighting in ring four. As she strapped on the protective armor that the man had handed to her, Sheena studied the other competitors. There was a buff man wearing loose clothes, like a ninja's, with brass knuckles strapped onto his hands; he was facing a short boy whom wielded a bow-and-arrow kit skillfully. Another ring contained a pair of wizards-- one short and one as tall and lean as a tree. The last ring contained a young, lean man with dark eyes and carried two daggers. His opponent carried a heavy axe. Sheena couldn't help but notice that the other contestants were all males. She smiled confidently-- she would cream them. This corner of fighters had a larger audience than the rest of the stations combined. Perhaps this was because she was the only woman competing. Something caught Sheena's eye and she turned away from the audience. She finally had a challenger, a man who was very small and mousy. He grinned at Sheena and swung his katana threateningly; he knew what he was doing.

The man at the desk, named Harris, stood and shouted into a megaphone: "Let the competition begin!"

Sheena crouched into a fighting position as competitor number eight rushed towards her. She would let him come to her; she wouldn't waste her energy. As she felt her dress flow loosely around her knees, she felt glad that she decided to wear shorts underneath. She kicked off her high heels without breaking the position. Faster than she expected, the opponent was already a few feet from her, and had the katana lowered to his side as he continued to run at her. Feeling herself slipping into the flow of battle, Sheena pivoted on her right foot and dunked, dodging the overhead swing while throwing her left fist into the guy's stomach as hard as she could. The swordsman grunted in pain, and doubled over, one hand clutching where she had punched him, giving Sheena the time to roll out from underneath him, cards being drawn as she rolled, preparing herself for the man to recover.

By the small amount of time it had taken Sheena to roll a few feet away and get into a defensive crouch, the fighter was already running towards her again, looking only bit annoyed from the wound she had inflicted upon him. For a small guy, he wasn't weak. She rolled again to the side as the samurai made another swing, but this time she immediately stood up behind him, and placed one of her cards on his back, shouting the words to release the spell. "Power Seal Pinion! Life Seal!" The man was shot across the arena by a sudden powerful gust from the card, heading straight for the other side of the ring. Just before the out of bounds line, he managed to stab his sword into the ground right at the edge of the arena, and used the handle to swing himself back in-bounds before he could touch the ground outside the arena. He pulled his sword out of the new hole in the ground, breathing a bit heavily, eyeing her with newfound respect. He bowed his head to her before speaking softly. " I see you're not new at this. Forgive me for underestimating you...but don't think I'm going easy on you anymore just because you're a woman."

Without waiting for a response, the samurai was already rushing towards her, this time the sword held above his head, obviously preparing to arch it down upon her. Sheena automatically switched into defensive mode, taken back by the sudden speech and the sudden increase of speed - he was moving much faster than before. Sheena could hardly watch him with her eyes. She barely had time to put up a few cards above her head to block the man's swing-- however, he moved it quickly so that the flat side hit the armor on her leg, and he hit hard enough so that she could feel pain-- and that only provided her with enough time to stumble backwards a few feet, landing near her edge of the arena.

Sheena glanced around quickly. The man was moving too fast - he was crossing the arena in seconds. There was nowhere to run, nowhere to roll, nowhere to dodge. If she blocked, she would most definitely be forced off the edge by purely by his strength advantage. Sheena grinned faintly, suddenly remembering her trump card - it was her last hope. Sheena grabbed one specific card from her sleeve, before slamming it onto the ground of the arena, trying to summon her newfound help before the samurai could close the last 8 feet between them. If summoning couldn't help her, and she couldn't defeat this man, then it was only by the luck of the gods she survived the adventure with Lloyd. "I call upon the servant of Mother Earth. Gnome!" A sudden rumbling in the earth made the samurai stumble slightly and falter, eyes wide as he watched as the ground beneath Sheena tremble, and a sudden pillar of Earth shoot straight into the sky. Sheena was on top of it, with a large chucking fat mole thing with a shovel and bow behind her. The crowd around the arena started going wild, some with fear, others with surprise, and some who thought that was just plain out cool. Sheena grinned down at the even smaller form of the man below her before pulling out another card, and pointing it down towards the man. Sheena shouted an inaudible command and Gnome obeyed-- wave after wave of rocks began pelting the samurai, and yet not hitting Sheena or the audience at all. Sheena slid down the slope of the pillar, and since all the rocks distracted the man-- Sheena could only imagine how much they hurt-- began hitting him nonstop with her cards.

"Pyre Seal! Force seal! Power Seal Pinion!" The man was getting very close to the edge of the ring-- very very close. Sheena decided to levitate him out of the ring. "Cyclone Seal!" her plan worked. The man was thrown roughly out of the ring and skidded along the hard ground. As soon as he did, Gnome disappeared with the pillar and raining rocks.

Sheena smiled proudly. She was the first fighter to finish. Eventually the others were done, and Sheena took note of who was left. It was just she, the man with the brass knuckles, the tall wizard, and the guy with the dark eyes now. Sheena walked over to the next ring and met her new opponent: Competitor number three, who happened to be the wizard. The match started soon enough and was much easier than the first match; Sheena was still pretty tired from the first battle. She first used a Magic Lens and realized that her opponent only had 3,000 HP remaining from his last battle. The wizard's eyes widened when Sheena pulled out the Lens and immediately began calling forth a spell-- Indignation. Sheena dashed quickly towards him and reached him in no time and began hitting him in random places. He seemed to be in over limit mode, so she didn't stop his spell, but she did deal damage to him.

_100...119...281... Five hundred points of damage so far!_ Sheena thought. "Demon Seal! Pyre seal!" _200...270...330... that's 1,500... you're halfway there, girl. _And then, mid-hit, the wizard's spell finished. A large sphere of lightning hit Sheena and she couldn't help but cry out in pain, feeling fresh bruises form, and even some cuts... The spell finally stopped and Sheena got back up on her feet wearily. The wizard had distanced himself from her and was casting another spell-- and Sheena didn't want to find out what it was. She ran back to him and began hitting him with her cards again: _250, 350, Pyre seal! 300, 200, 250, 250! 3,000!_

The wizard fell to the ground with a sickening grunt and Sheena straightened up. Immediately she met the eyes of the winner from the ring next door; it belonged to the young man with the two daggers. He smiled a bit, almost cockily as he walked into her ring. He walked up to her and extended a hand.

"May the best fighter win." he said good-naturedly, flashing another smile as Sheena took his hand and shook it. They were soft; no, his hands were rough, she could feel a callus on the index finger... and yet his thumb's skin felt smooth... Sheena unconsciously heard herself say something along the lines of 'I plan to win' and 'good luck'.

Something caught Sheena's eye and she turned, looking at the sky. She gasped out, "A shooting star!" Everyone in the audience looked up. There was a shower of shooting stars streaking across the sky; Sheena had never seen so many at one time. Sheena realized she was still holding the stranger's hand. She turned to look at him-- and he stared right back. She detangled her hand from his gently. She managed to say casually, "Um... it's nice to meet you."

"What's your name?" he asked as the audience stayed entranced by the stars.

"I'd prefer not to tell. After all, you might stalk me after I beat your ass." Sheena smiled and walked across the ring. "What's your name?" she called out.

"I'd prefer not to tell. You might stalk me after I kick your butt." the man mimicked. Sheena turned around when she reached her destination and caught a grin on his face.

Harris had returned to the world. "Ready... set... begin!" he called out. At once, Sheena and her opponent rushed at each other. He swung his daggers wildly but skillfully, and Sheena blocked him with her cards each time. Sheena managed to hit him here and there, but he also managed to do the same. _Block up, block down... wait, he took a step back, what is he...?_

"Fierce Demon Fang!" the man called out, pulling a dagger in an arc towards the ground. A wave of hot wind hit Sheena and roughly shoved her onto her back. In no time Sheena was back up and the man was rushing towards her. He yelled, "Hurricane Thrust!" Sheena ducked in the middle of the statement and did a sort of twirl around him, so that she was behind him. She quickly attacked him and Sheena saw him weaken slightly before he whirled around and sort of hopped backwards, away from her. He then rushed towards her again, slashing with ease. Sheena felt him cut deeply into the unprotected part of her shoulder and gave an involuntary gasp. The man seemed to hesitate; he lowered his daggers.

"Don't!" Sheena called out. "Don't you dare go easy on me." She began hitting him with the cards again. She hit the man in the face and created a bruise on his cheek, and yet he didn't give the slightest reaction of pain. His mouth was set in a grim line as they kept hitting each other, occasionally using techniques and attacks. And Sheena could feel herself slowly weakening when the battle came to a close: Her opponent hit her quite hard on her left side when she had let her guard down for a moment. He did several moves then-- Sonic Sword Rain and Heavy Tiger Blade among them-- before he did Rising Falcon, pinning her to the ground. He sat on her stomach with his legs on either side of her. He raised his dagger to her throat.

"I win." He said softly as the audience cheered. He stayed there for a moment before rising and holding his hand out to her. After a moment of hesitation, Sheena took it and realized that she needed it; she stumbled a bit, feeling weak. The man shifted his arm so that it was wrapped around her shoulders; a nurse handed him Energy Tablets. He took a few and gave the rest to Sheena; she swallowed them willingly. Suddenly the bruises and cuts mostly disappeared, and Sheena felt much better. She shook the man's arm off her shoulders and looked at the clock; it was eleven thirty.

"You owe me a dance." The man with the dark eyes smiled gently at Sheena. "Because I won." Harris came and took their borrowed weapons and the young man held out his hand. Sheena put her hand in his; she was intrigued. The dance was slow and peaceful, nothing like the stuffy dances at the palace. His hand on her waist felt so comfortable. She looked up into his eyes and found his gaze on her, with a look in his eyes that made it seem as if he were memorizing everything about her.

"So. Where are you from? I've never seen you around Meltokio before." Sheena asked, trying to be friendly.

"I travel a lot... Maybe we've passed each other in the streets before, but we never really took notice of each other." He suggested gently.

"Your eyes are so familiar... I feel as if I've met you before. I know I have..." Sheena sighed and shook her head slightly. "Anyway. How old are you?" She asked. "I'm nineteen. I've been nineteen for a little more than eight months."

"That's funny. I'm taller than you, but I'm younger. I turned eighteen around two weeks ago." The man smiled at her, a smile that sent chills down her spine. She had seen that smile before-- a half-innocent smile, with the right side of the lip raised higher than the left.

"Really now? A friend of mine turned eighteen two weeks ago! Maybe you two share the same birthday... His name's Lloyd--" Sheena paused at this. Thinking of him made her think of the next day. She didn't want to think about leaving him. She would never sleep next to him by the campfire, or stay up late staring at the stars and talking about their dreams and goals.

"Did something happen between you two?" The man asked.

"I..." Sheena bit her lip, and then sighed. "Nothing's happened. I like him but he doesn't like me. I think he's still in love with my friend Colette. Colette's like a sister to me, so I can't do anything..." Sheena shrugged lightly. "But Colette deserves more than anyone to be happy. I don't want to ruin what she has with Lloyd. Lloyd has just treated me like a friend the entire time."

The man was silent for a moment; probably considering what advice he could give. "Maybe this Lewis--"

"--Lloyd." Sheena corrected.

"Yes, maybe he is hiding what he feels. Maybe he is afraid that you don't return his affection. You should tell him how you feel."

"No!" Sheena exclaimed. "No. I don't want to ruin anything. I'm too shy..."

"Then he will come to you," the man said firmly. "Trust me on that." And when Sheena just nodded, the man switched the topic to politics.

When they had begun talking about their favorite foods, Sheena heard the palace clocks ring-- midnight. Everything in the Coliseum seemed to stop-- the music stopped, people stopped dancing and talking. Sheena felt as if hot water was running down her back as the spells that disguised her slowly dispelled. Her dance partner had let go of her and his pants were slowly turning white.

"Unmask!" Harris shouted. Sheena met her partner's eyes and her hand slid to her face the same time that he did. She pulled her mask off, and then got a first look at...

_Lloyd!_

Sheena stared at him. She had told him everything. Her heart was racing. He probably thought she was a freak now. He was smirking. No, smiling, no... He was... leaning over. He was putting his hands around her waist. God, his hands were warm. He kissed her gently after saying, "I knew it was you." His lips felt amazing. Sheena took in his scent-- a scent of soap, gently mixed with his own essence and some sort of cologne.

When Lloyd pulled away, Sheena put her arms around his neck to keep him close. "Lloyd, how did you know it was me?"

He smiled at her and shook his head gently. A hand went to her cheek and traced the curve up to the corner of her eye. "Don't you get it, Sheena? I'll always be able to find you, no matter how far apart we are. I can't forget you, no matter how hard I try."

Sheena couldn't help but smile at that. She pulled her to him for another sensual kiss, and fireworks lit up the sky.

* * *

**AN: WOW! Another long chapter. Oh well. Thanks to Chain/Johnathan for helping me with the first battle! I really appreciated it. I hope you guys like this chapter. Gesea is next. I'm currently writing the Raine chapter. I'm not very sure about how that will turn out, but I hope it will turn out wonderfully! Suggestions for what should be in the Raine chapter are welcome! Review!**


	3. Five Voices

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Tales of Symphonia. But this is dedicated to my sweet, sweet, beautiful, talented, amazing, sexy Shelby. **

_Diana-- Wow! Thanks a lot! Hehe, I'm blushing._

_SlayerIsaac-- Really? No flaws? That's great to hear! Well, technically, it's great to read, but whatever._

_"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid blind."-- A Midsummer Night's Dream, Act I_

* * *

_Five Voices, Part Three of Midsummer's Festival._

_--King of Tethe'alla--_

THEY say that she lost her soul a very long time ago, and lived--forgive me for the pun-- as if she had no life within her. But oh, how Presea has recovered! She and the half-elf boy (Genis, I believe is his name) are the only two left from their original party of eight. They play cards, they dance; they would be perfect courtiers if they were not children. It honors me that two children are polite enough to stay longer than most adults. But then again, they are not exactly normal children, are they? He seems so patient with her lack of emotion, and yet becomes flustered whenever she shows interest-- or lack of interest-- in him. Presea's rosy cheeks, her rare smile... what young boy can resist? And yet her eyes hold such sadness, and his eyes shine with everlasting hope.

I cannot help but smile as Presea's full, lavender dress lightly brushes Genis' knees; he almost drops his cup of punch but quickly recovers. He's wearing his Easter Sunday costume, but looks charming anyway as he smiled tentatively at her. There is a commotion at the balcony doors; Genis looks towards the doors and gently places his hand on Presea's elbow.

"Let's go see what's going on!" Genis suggests, an eager expression stretching upon his face. Presea nods, looking amused as Genis leads her to the doors.

I would get up to follow them, but then again, a pretty concubine is heading towards me...

_--Maiden on Balcony--_

I'm at the very edge of the balcony, with my hands on the cold granite railing. By my side are two children and a handful of other nobles. I hate nobles; they take everything for granted. Including shooting stars! The nobles slowly filter back into the ballroom, and yet the two children remain. The girl's face is illuminated by the moonlight, and she looks rather fascinated as she -- almost fearfully, it seems -- holds onto the boy's hand.

"Genis, I've never seen shooting stars before. At least, I don't remember seeing them..." the girl sighs a bit, her eyes searching the sky. She shakes her head delicately and the pigtails move along with her, pearls artfully scattered in random places in the soft pink locks.

"They're beautiful." the boy says simply. "Beautiful a-and rare, like you." The girl's grip on Genis' hand seems to tighten as she transfers her gaze to his face. For a moment there's an embarrassed look on his face, and then it disappears. He gazes right back at her steadily, almost as if he is challenging her to tell him that she doesn't care for him. But Genis seems to know that, somewhere very deep down, she feels something special for him.

"Genis," she says very slowly, as if she were rolling sugared fruit in her mouth, savoring the taste. "I want you to mean every word you say to me. I know I may seem emotionless most of the time, but that doesn't mean I am immune to hurt, both physical and emotional." At this Genis opens his mouth to speak, but Presea continues on. "I want to regain the time I lost. But I do not plan on feeling hurt again anytime soon."

"Presea..." Genis' voice seems to be teeming with emotion. "I wouldn't hurt you, no matter how hard I tried... I don't want you to feel pain when it comes to me. I want us to keep in touch, I don't want to label you as someone from my past."

Presea closes her eyes for a moment, because Genis' gaze is very vivid indeed. She opens them again, this time with a small smile on her face. "It feels so good to hear you say that. So good... I don't want to be left behind."

There is the sound of rustling cloth as Genis pulls Presea to him and I slowly back away. I hear Genis sigh and mutter something as her arms encircle his neck. And then I turn away; this is a night for lovers, both young and old.

_--Gypsy on palace steps--_

To be honest, I only like Festival because it's the best time to make money. There aren't much gypsies left in Meltokio. They've all gone to Altamira, where our services are truly appreciated.

There's a crowd around me now, watching me dance, so I need t'concentrate. Some nobles are dropping cheap bronze coins in my box. Stupid nobles. As soon as I stop whirling about and the tapping on my tambourine ceases, the nobles go away. I'm ready t'collect my things now, and all of a sudden I see a boy and a girl step closer to me. The boy holds out a sack full of... of gald! There must be at least nine hundred!

"For your dancing." The boy says nervously, his hair as silver as the spoon my son stole from the market. I wearily take the sack and pull out a coin. I bite it just to make sure it's real-- and it is. But now I'm confused.

"Why are you giving me so much?" I ask in barely a whisper.

The girl speaks. "Because you need it. Because it's Festival and you deserve it."

I patted my cheek nervously. "I have five kids... they will appreciate this very much." I smiled. "Let me tell you something. There is a Festival going on, for kids just like you, near the sewer exit. You two should go."

The girl looks at the boy, and then speaks. "Okay. We'll go if you sing us one more song, for your voice is quite sweet."

I smiles at this rare compliment and raise my tambourine again. I know what song I should sing: _"Oh maybe we were made, we were made for each other..."_

_--Peasant Child--_

"Mama, can I have the toy octopus?" I ask, looking up at Mama. She lets out a sigh and is quiet. Even the dark pouches under her eyes look sad. I look at the ground in shame. I never should have asked, Mama barely had enough gald to buy us three tickets to use at this carnival. The 'Test your Strength' game requires that much. But that's the only game that has the stuffed octopus prize... it's so cute... but I shouldn't waste our tickets.

A girl turns around and looks at me. She's got pigtails like mine, but hers are pink and she seems twice my age. She turns back around and murmurs something into a boy's ear. He smiles at her, his silver hair illuminated by all the lights and the moon, and presses three tickets into her palm. She kisses his cheek in thanks and goes to the man who runs the 'Test Your Strength' machine. She holds out her tickets.

"I would like to play this game, please." she says. The man smiles a bit cockily, but accepts her tickets nonetheless and gives her the hammer. The girl stands in front of the machine, raises the hammer above her head and brings it down onto the button on the machine quickly and forcefully. She looks as if she put all her strength in to it. The round metal ball inside the tube of the machine goes up, up, up to the top and hits the bell, causing it to ring, and yet it is barely heard over all the chatter around us.

"We... have a winner." the man in charge says in a surprised tone. "Which prizes will you take?" The girl immediately chooses the octopus, with a hat perched jauntily on its pink head, and a 'magic' moneybox. Supposedly the moneybox fills with gald each time you open it, and refills itself whenever you take some out. The man in charge looks a bit annoyed-- he probably wanted to keep it for himself. The boy smiles proudly at the girl as she slowly turns to Mama and me. The girl walks over and, very gently, presses the octopus into my hands.

The girl smiles and hands the moneybox to Mama. "For you." she says simply.

Mama stares at the girl, and then finds her voice. "I can't take this..."

"You must." the girl says firmly. "Don't you remember me, Sandi? It's me, Presea."

Mama gapes at the girl. "Presea... I remember you used to play with me when we were children... I heard a few weeks ago that you had lost your soul, and yet you reunited the two worlds..." Mama's eyes fill with tears. "Presea, your kindness is endless. I thank you with all my heart."

Presea looks surprised when Mama hugs her, but pats Mama's back anyway. Presea pulls away and says, "Let us escort you and your child home. We will tell you what steps you should take tomorrow to help you begin your new life." When Mama nods, Presea walks to the boy with the silver hair and grabs his hand. She leads him over to us.

"Sandi, this is Genis," says Presea. "He's my boyfriend."

_--Lloyd--_

As soon as I plopped onto my bed at the hotel, planning to think about all the things that had happened tonight, Genis came in. He was smiling as he carefully pulled off his translucent blue wings. We had to share the hotel room, but I didn't really mind. He's my best friend, after all.

"What took you so long?" I asked, propping up an elbow and resting my head on my hand. I had already changed and showered, and was beginning to worry about Genis.

"Presea and I went to a lot of places." Genis said shortly as he stripped off his shirt and went to the bathroom that was connected to our bedroom.

"I'm guessing she's finally admitted that she's got feelings for you, too?" I teased, staring at the closed door.

"Is it that obvious?" Genis asked loudly through the door. When I laughed and said yes, Genis scoffed. "I suppose you didn't have too much fun, because I noticed a cut on your cheek."

"I was in a tournament at the Coliseum. I beat Sheena, but it was a close fight. She might have been able to beat me." Just thinking of her made my lips twitch; I pressed them tightly together, trying not to think of her kiss.

"Bet she loved that." Genis said sarcastically, emerging from the bathroom in his Katz pajamas. We both knew that Sheena hated losing. I couldn't help but laugh though, both at the sarcasm and how ridiculous he looked in his pajamas.

"Well, I think she forgave me later on." I said with a sly smile. "So tell me about your night with Presea. Did you see the shooting stars? And the fireworks?"

"Yes and yes." Genis launched into a summary about what he and Presea did. I couldn't help but smile when he mentioned the box of money.

"I always knew Presea had a sweet side to her." I told Genis as I looked at the dark ceiling. I heard Genis toss around in the bed across the room and give a sleepy grunt. I then began to think about our futures. What would happen when we all broke apart at noon?

Now Genis is sleeping. I better sleep, too.

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**AN:** **Raine chapter next! I'm a bit concerned about it, and I know it might take a while. I'm open to ideas and things you'd like to see.**


	4. Third Time's the Charm

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own ToS, blah blah blah. **

Thanks to all the reviewers! I'm glad I pulled off the 5 POVs thing off. I loved the Gesea chapter the most, not because of the pairing (Zelette is my favorite) but because of that POV. Anyway, I don't feel like making any individual thanks, so onwards!

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_"Why is the last mile the hardest mile?  
My throat was dry, with the sun in my eyes  
and I realised, I realised  
I could never  
I could never, never, never, go back home again." The Smiths_

_Third Time's the Charm, Part Four of Midsummer's Festival_

I WONDER how she is doing. Has she found a lover? Is she happy; is she miserable? Has she found the ruins of her dreams, or has Raine given up on them? It is Festival in Meltokio. My son told me that, when I spoke to him through the black orb three days ago. It feels a bit strange, calling Lloyd my son in such a carefree manner. Perhaps... I could watch Raine tonight through the orb...?

The orb is formally known as the Celeste Orb, and once belonged to Mithos (it was named Celeste after the 'best' lover Mithos had ever had); he treasured it very much indeed, for it was a beautiful orb, charcoal-black in color with onyxes dotting the bottom. It permitted him to come in contact with whomever he wished in any way he wanted to, just so long as it was in the present time. Basically, Mithos could spy on anyone he wished, but couldn't go back in the past or into the future. When I was his friend, he had taught me how to use the orb.

I walked into the crimson-walled, medium-sized room and to the orb, which was set on a high pedestal in the back. There was a white screen at the front of the room, and there were three rows of five seats each in the center. _(AN: Kind of like a movie theater.)_

I put my hand on the orb and spoke. "Show me my love." I said softly. The last two words made my stomach whirl uncomfortably; was Anna looking down at me with distaste from her home in heaven? "Show me Raine." I said again, trying to make amends. Anna would not want me to mourn her for the rest of my life. Would she?

The lights above me flickered as the orb shone a dazzling white color. I walked along and sat in the second row. The lights dimmed, and on the white screen was an image...

* * *

Raine sits in a chair, staring at the jagged hemline of her black dress. She is bored. No, she isn't just bored, she is desperate. Desperate for someone to talk to. Someone who owns a brain and actually uses it, here in this bright colored room. Most of the nobles here are the kind of close-minded type that Raine detests. She wants something real; everything around her is just too fake. The silk, the fake scent of the fake roses... and it was only nine-thirty. Raine wonders how much longer she could handle this, when she sees the King beckon her to his throne. 

"Your Highness." Raine murmurs, curtsying lightly and staying bent for fifteen seconds-- palace etiquette is so elaborate when it came to the King. The King, in robes of ochre, lemon, cerulean and magenta. The King in his entire hypocritical splendor; he says one thing but he always, always, _always_ means the other.

"I have a request to ask of you, Lady Raine," the King says as she rises with all the grace she can muster. "You are the most simply dressed woman here, but you are also one of the most respected. I am supposed to go to a charity thing in the peasant's slums right now, but I do not feel like going. The gift baskets and gald are already there, and I would like it if somebody almost as famous as me would take my place. So, will you attend the charity for me?"

Raine stars at the man, silently seething with fury. What an idiot. Who does he think he is, acting as if she will say yes? What if she says no? "I'll need a bodyguard." Raine lies. But then again, being with peasants sounds much better than this. _Is it too late to accept his offer? _Raine thinks as the King looks at her with a puzzled expression, for he is not used to being rejected.

"Which is why I am going with you." A deep, comforting voice comes from behind Raine. She half turns and sees Regal there, bowing to the King. Regal smiles very, very slightly at Raine, looking grander than ever. The golden candlelight of the room suits his skin tone well; he almost looks as if he is used to these kinds of parties.

"I'd prefer it if you stayed here, Duke Regal... that hellish place is not for a noble such as yourself." The king shifts uncomfortably as he gazes at Regal. Regal is an odd sight-- his blue hair has finally been cut short, and he looks dashing in his white dress shirt, black pants, and leather shoes. There are still pink marks around his wrists from where his handcuffs had been, and he has his navy blue jacket draped over his left shoulder, as it is quite hot in the room. Any painter would be glad to paint his portrait, and in fact, he has gotten a few requests lately to be painted by amateur painters-- they carry names like Vermeer, Monet, Van Gough, and Da Vinci. They are not nearly as popular as the lady painter, Duchess M. Monroe, but it is still quite an honor.

"That is nonsense, your Majesty. It wouldn't be wise to send a half-Elvin woman to the slums on Costume Night." Regal speaks gently and calmly, but his eyes show that he is not backing down.

"A-alright. If that is what you desire." the king looks dreamy already. "The charity will end at eleven o'clock," he says, trying to seem helpful.

"We thank you." Regal speaks with another bow. Raine quickly follows his lead and curtseys. The two rise quickly, and with a slight nod Regal tucks his hand in the crook of Raine's elbow, leads her through the crowd, and out of the castle. The night is dark, but there are fiery torches everywhere. There is a gypsy on one corner, dancing and singing.

Raine takes a breath of the sweet night air as she and Regal walk along quickly. "This is better," she states, closing her eyes. Regal's arm moves and is wrapped protectively around Raine's bare shoulders as they walk through a large crowd. There is nothing romantic about this gesture, although Raine finds herself wishing that he would hold her more tightly; he seems purely businesslike, as if he is only trying to help her along.

"Yes. I lost my fondness for court gatherings long ago." Regal says as he maneuvers Raine around a puddle of horse droppings. "And perhaps we can make a difference in the lives of the peasants that we will meet. Not all of the peasants will be there... there are security guards at the doors; they do not allow the sickly, the old women, those who are not of white ethnicity, or any with Elvin or half-Elvin blood."

"Regal, that's not right." Raine says as her eyes flutter open. "They should allow all peasants! Who cares about their blood or skin tone--" Raine stops herself, for she realizes that almost all people care about that.

"I know there should be more allowed." Regal says calmly. "But it is the King's decision as to who comes in and who does not; we have little say in the matter. When we are passing out the donations at the community center, where the charity is being held, we must still do all we can to help those poor people."

Raine sighs and pulls her silky black shawl even more tightly around her shoulders. "I agree. I just wish we could give them paying jobs of some sort. Jobs that pay them enough to live decently."

Regal looks thoughtful as his cerulean eyes travel to Raine's face. "Maybe we could. Palmacosta needs to be rebuilt, which is currently one of Lezareno's goals. The company needs construction workers, since we have all the materials we need."

Raine smiles pleasingly at the man. "That's really kind of you, Regal! But what about the women and the children?"

Regal hesitates. "I am not sure," he finally confesses. "I can't end poverty... I would like to, but it cannot be done by one man alone."

"True, but you and I should do all we can." Raine says, resting her hand on Regal's tense shoulder comfortingly, for he seems to feel as if he is not doing enough.

Regal has a rare, yet slightly sad, hint of a smile on his broad face. "Yes," he agrees. "Well, here we are." Regal says as they enter the dark slums. There is some celebrating here, but there are not very many people, and it is pitiful compared to the extravagant festivities at the palace. After a few turns, the community center looms ahead, with cheap lights flickering through a few windows. It is divided into three rooms, and is made of pure white granite on the outside. Regal leads Raine through a side door that seems all but hidden; the security guard there recognizes them and lets the two in. The room they step into is the largest, with dark blue-carpeted floors and cream-colored walls. This room was the one farthest to the right, and Raine could barely make out the other two rooms through the large doors. Regal leads Raine through the room and onto the podium that is backed up against the northernmost wall, dodging hungry thieves' hands all the while.

A man with high, arched eyebrows and lime green hair is waiting for the two. He is dressed even more simply than Regal-- brown tunic and trousers-- and looks very pleased when they approach him.

"Ah! Lady Raine and Duke Regal. I'm so pleased to see you!" the man smiles. "It is very kind of you to fill in the King-- he sent a page with a note, you see, and the page arrived a few minutes before you-- and Martel will bless you for handing out the donations. My name is Celio." The man smiles. "It is very kind of you to help me pass out the baskets. Most people with power don't care for the poor."

"We're not like most people." Raine says, walking behind a counter that is cluttered with baskets that seemed to be made of woven straw. The baskets are teeming with various items: clothing, food, money, toys, and more. There is a fence surrounding the podium that blocks the peasants from going up the stairs. Regal walked over to the counter next to Raine's and tells Castor his idea about giving jobs to some peasants. Castor thinks that it is a good idea, too.

The charity passes by quickly. Raine is in charge of the women, Regal gives things to the men, and Celio handles the children. All three groups receive clothes, food and gald. Regal gives the able-bodied men jobs, and a few children receive jobs too. Raine hands out free lifetime passes to public baths (which are located every city in the world) to the women, who will share with their families. Raine watches each dirty face brighten slightly when they realize who Raine and Regal are. She cannot help but feel proud and yet slightly sad at the same time. All the peasants are so haggard and thin, but the worst part is most Meltokian nobles don't care.

By eleven, all the gift baskets and items are handed out. The peasants have been and are dining in the two other rooms. Raine smiles at Regal: He is behind his counter still, his sleeves rolled up past his elbows and his jacket tossed aside as he wiped the wood surface clean. He is frowning and looks a bit troubled.

"We did well, Regal." Raine says as she strolls over to him. "And yet you look so bothered. Why?" There is genuine concern in her eyes.

"I feel as if we did not do enough." Regal admits after a moment's pause.

"We can only do so much. We did all we could." Raine sighs. "Let's go, Regal. Let's talk a walk."

Regal nodded. "You're right. We have done all we can... Let's go..."

Raine takes one of his cold, tanned hands and holds it in both of hers. She looks into his eyes as she says: "You and I need to stop being so hard on ourselves, and become more optimistic. That is what I learned from Lloyd. We have saved the world, and that alone is a huge accomplishment. Now is the time for us to take tiny steps, Regal. Eventually poverty will end. Not exactly tonight, or even in our lifetimes, but it will one day.

Regal nods in agreement. "I know. Forgive me for worrying so much," he says as he walks with her. "But may I tell you something, Raine?" He smiles slightly.

"Of course."

"Your grip on my wrist is killing me."

"Oh!" Raine exclaims, flustered. She drops his hand as they exit through the door and out into the seductive night.

Regal laughs and a moment later, Raine joins in. They walk along, unsure of where they are headed, letting their feet do what they wish. Suddenly Raine spots something in the sky and points at it silently, too startled to speak. Regal looks up and does a double take.

Dozens of shooting stars are streaking across the already mesmerizing sky. Raine and Regal quietly go up a flight of stairs and sit on the rooftop of an abandoned shop, their eyes on the sky.

"I... I have never seen anything as beautiful as this." Raine states. "I don't think I'll ever forget it."

"I saw shooting stars before... with Alicia." Regal speaks softly, his eyes shining.

Raine glances over at the man. "You love her still."

Regal meets her eyes. "Of course. She was such a big part of my life. Love can never be forgotten. One day you'll know what it's like."

Raine nods curtly and looks back at the sky. "I hope so. I've been hurt twice before, romantically, I mean." Regal does not press her on, but stares at her with concern in his eyes. Raine decides to continue. "Would you like to hear my story, Regal?" He nods and after a moment of hesitation, Raine tries to decide how to begin.

"About five years ago, a man named Aidan came to Iselia." Raine shivers slightly. She has never told anyone about Aidan before. Not even Kratos. "He had an interest in artifacts and history, just like me. We met and clicked instantly-- he actually gave me a few of the things that proved useful on our journey to save the world. We both appeared around the same age, and fell in love." Raine takes a shaky breath, her eyes still on the sky. "He was the reason I couldn't approach the unicorn at Lake Umacy... Genis doesn't remember Aidan very much, thank Martel. When I told Aidan that I'm a half-elf, he was horrified-- imagine, he had fornicated with a half-elf! He thought I was pure elf. Within a week, he was gone, and I was heartbroken."

Regal looks at her with sympathy. "Then he was not a good man to begin with." Regal speaks slowly. "And may I guess who your second love was?" Raine looks surprised, but nods anyway. "Was he Kratos?"

Raine meets his eyes. So earnest, so concerned, so wise. Regal is a genuine friend. He will not tell a soul about this; the heat radiating from his body, only six inches away, is very comforting. Raine finally nods.

"But you could not tell him. There never seemed to be a right moment, and after he betrayed all of you..." Regal trails off, for a silvery tear has squirmed its way out of Raine's eyelids. "Oh Raine, I'm sorry. I did not mean to upset you."

Raine laughs shakily and opens her teary eyes. "You shouldn't be sorry. It's all my fault for getting hurt in the first place. I try to be cold when it comes to love, and even then I fail miserably."

Regal watches her for a moment, then speaks. "Presea and I are going on a cruise tomorrow. We received two extra tickets... why don't you and Genis come with us? You need a vacation, Raine. You're much too young to stress about these things."

Raine tilts her head after a few moments of thought. "You know what Regal, you're right. I do need a vacation! I'll have to talk to Lloyd about it, see if we can change our plans a bit... Genis will be ecstatic! Are you sure you don't mind?"

Regal shakes his head. "Of course I don't mind. I want you two to come." He grins and stands. He holds out a hand for Raine, and she takes it, and when she is on her feet she does not let go.

"Come on." Raine says softly, eyes still hazy with tears as she looks at a possible lover. It is too early, too early now... "Let's go and get some sleep. We'll need it."

A firework lit up the sky; perhaps it was sent into the sky by mistake, for it was solitary, an explosion of red and blue.

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**A/N: Only one chapter after this... the dramatic, tear-jerking (hopefully) epilogue. I do plan to begin working on the Zelos/Colette story soon, but I'll need your support all the while. Sorry this took so long! High school is hard. Right now I am heartbroken, which helps immensely. This is also very rushed, and I apologize.**


	5. Last Song

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own TOS but this is most certainly the last chapter of my story! **

_Replies to the Readers:_

**J.G. the Game Master-- Thank you! No, Aidan is not mentioned in the game. Aidan is the name of an ex-boyfriend of a friend of mine, and I felt like using his name. However, there are a few clues in the game that Raine had a previous lover. They just never mentioned his name directly. **

**A.R. Russ-- Occasionally, I will have a blonde moment. Your review definitely struck up one of those :-D. I got stuck on the word articulate, and it took me a minute to figure out what you thought of my story, but then I read the last line of your review. XD thanks. **

**Thanks to Everyone else who reviewed! **

**BIG NEWS: I STARTED A NEW C2! Don't be afraid to email me about it. Also, I am open for requests; if you'd like me to write a story for you, just tell me a bit about it and I will. (Must be fewer than 3 chapters) **

_This is dedicated to the love that I think of often; I miss you and I understand why you are gone and why you and I could never have been together in the first place. I just wish you didn't go for that whore instead of me._ _Thank you for the inspiration your beautiful face gave me... it was one of the only things that I got from you. But then again, I was way too shy to say hello to you, wasn't I? Well, this is my mental note to myself... goodbye Theodoric. _

_

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_

_"Promise me you'll never forget me because if I thought you would I'd never leave." --Winnie the Pooh _

_Epilogue_

There was a small party of people in front of the entrance of the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge, perhaps eight in number. Two half-elves, the rest were humans. They all looked as if they were dreading something. They were gathered in a tight circle, luggage placed behind them. They all seemed very somber and silent as they looked around. There was a large cruise ship parked in the waters, and people were slowly getting onto it.

"I'm going to miss you guys," Sheena finally broke the silence, speaking in a choked voice; tears made their way down her face. Colette, standing next to her, looked heartbroken as she held Sheena's hand. She squeezed the woman's hand comfortingly as Lloyd, who was on Sheena's other side, wrapped an arm around his lover's waist. "Please come visit me in Mizuho, everyone. I'll be busy running the village, but..."

"You guys shouldn't be so sad! We'll see each other again, don't worry." Zelos spoke cheerfully, his hand on the small of Colette's back. He smiled at Regal, who was on his other side. "Don't you agree?"

Regal nodded. "I still think it was rather rude of the King to ask you at the last minute to stay in Meltokio. You were planning to escort Colette to Iselia, were you not?"

Zelos nodded. "Yeah, I was. But I have to follow the King's orders. You, Raine, Presea and Genis will have fun on the cruise, right? No studying, Professor, just pure fun!"

Raine sighed. "But it's a perfect opportunity to examine the differences in the contamination of the waters in Tethe'alla and Sylvarant..."

Genis exchanged a look with Lloyd and Presea, who were on either side of him. Regal gave Raine's arm a pat. "You can study if you want to, Raine, but I must request that Genis doesn't. He's going to go on that journey with Lloyd and you afterwards... he deserves a break." Regal stated.

Raine smiled wearily and nodded. "It looks like my teaching skills will be put to use... I'll need to educate people about many things about racism, and how it's not right. And about Exspheres as well."

Lloyd grinned confidently. "Don't worry, Raine! With the help of the Eternal Sword, we can do anything."

"You have a lot ahead of you. Maybe when Zelos and I start journeying, we'll run into you guys." Colette said with a hopeful smile. "I know that Regal and Presea plan to rebuild Palmacosta and Ozette, correct?"

"Yes. Sheena and Mizuho plan to help us as well." Presea confirmed, slightly squeezing Genis' hand. "I think... it is time... that we go on the ship now. It will depart in five minutes..." Everyone reluctantly agreed.

Tears trailed down Raine's face as she hugged everyone goodbye. Regal shook hands with the men and hugged the ladies, looking solemn. Presea and Genis hugged the others freely-- they had the childish knowledge that they would all meet again. They all picked up their luggage and smiled at their friends.

And then they were gone. The group of four melted into the crowd, leaving the other four behind. Sheena and Colette were both crying softly now, but Zelos and Lloyd just looked grim.

"I... I think it's time that I summoned Aska, Colette, and got him to take you... take you home." Sheena said quietly. Colette nodded quietly and gave Sheena a huge, tight hug. They hugged for around ten seconds before Colette moved on to Lloyd and Sheena began summoning. Colette hugged the boy just as tightly as she had hugged Sheena, and just as long. Colette then turned to Zelos-- the hardest goodbye.

"Don't look so miserable, my dear." Zelos whispered as he embraced the angel. "I'll see you again soon. Don't cry, please don't..." Colette lifted her face off his shoulder and kissed him gently, a long kiss. Sheena had finished summoning by the time the two pulled away, and had resumed her spot by Lloyd's side. The four young adults hesitated for a moment.

"It's so hard to believe it's all over." Colette said softly, walking over to Aska. She put her hand on his wing and felt a wave of warmth wash over her. "It lasted so long but now it's all done."

"Yeah..." Lloyd said. "We'll remember it forever... we changed the world... we'll be remembered forever. We can't possibly abandon each other, not after this. We'll live on and on and so will our friendship."

Colette and Sheena both found the strength to smile at this. Colette easily clambered onto the back of Aska, clutching a few of his strong feathers for support. She paused and waited. Colette would fly when the others departed.

Sheena had a grumbling Celsius transport her and Lloyd's luggage for them to Mizuho, and Undine transported Colette's things to Iselia. Sheena and Lloyd preferred to walk to Mizuho. Zelos had no luggage, as wouldn't be leaving Meltokio.

The cruise boat let out a low sound as it began to set sail, and to the entire party of heroes it sounded almost sad and mournful. But perhaps it was imagination thriving; surely fate would bring them together again.

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**AN: Hmm. Not quite as tear wrenching, as I would have liked. Oh well. But now you can look forward to my upcoming Zelette story, which is kind of sort of a sequel to this! But I need your opinions on something: Should Zelos get his hair cut to look like the Wonder Chef's, without the stupid hat? Or should it stay long and feminine? And what about his clothes, should they change?**


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